The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-01-17
ANTlSEPTIC SURGERY.
A Wonderful Advance Over the Old Methods OF
Treating Wounds.


from the Philadelphia North American.
Fifty years ago, on the minutes OF
the Pennsylvania Hospital in this
city, especial mention was made OF
the fact that an amputated finger had
healed by First intention" that is,
without the process of suppuration
and granulation, which is the usual
mode by which tissues heal. At the
present time it is usual, and not I'M
usual, to have an amputated leg heal
by the first intention" as well as the
wounds made in the performance of
nearly all major and minor opera
tons OF surgery.
So rapid has been the progress in
the improved methods OF what is
known as antiseptic surgery that
many medical men are astounded to
hear OF the results that are being
obtained, and the general public are
not at all aware OF the great advances
in the surgical art. Indeed, antiseptic
surgery has been in its infancy for less
than a dozen years, and has only re.
ceived its perfect application within a.
lew months.
In the human body there exists a
reparative power by which the sepa.
rated fragments OF a broken bone are
united. The simplest mode of heal
ing an open wound is by the "lirst in
tention" or Immediate union" for
which surgeons have aimed Tor hun
dreds of years. They had observed it
in rare instances, and looked upon it
as q possibility, but as previously
stated, they seldom succeeded in get
ting it, and the instances in which
they did get it were deserving OF
special note. Ii union fails by the
First intention" Inflammation super
venes, and healing is accomplished by
long and tedious process OF suppu-
ration and granulation, requiring sew
eral weeks or perhaps months for the
closure OF a wound OF any considera-
BILE size. And this is always connected
with o great drain on the vital forces,
and danger from blood-poisoning.
What is antiseptic surgery! 1t con-
sists OF certain precautions and APP
pliances Tor the exclusion OF the air,
and with the air the numerous germs
OF disease and putrefation which float
in it, and the application OF a germi-
eide, which destroys the vitality OF
these germs during and after an OPP
Grafton. The more perfectly this is
done, the more likely will there be
procured the primary union by "frst
Intention" Everybody knows that
cut OF finger, ii promptly tied up and
kept at rest, will heal readily, but il it
be neglected and allowed to get par
ticles OF dirt and the germs of disease
into it, there is considerable inham-
nation, the injured member becomes
painful and swollen, discharges mat
ter and is slow to heal. Antiseptic
surgery aims at the simplicity OF do
mesctic practice-the accurate coapta-
ton OF the parts, provision being
made for the free discharge OF secre.
tions from the wound, and the exclu-
sion OF the air and germs OF disease.
By the adoption OF antiseptic meas
ures the surgeon simply follows
natures indication. He puts the
parts in the best possible condition
to heal, and nature does the healing.
The methods adopted IN order to
secure this success are simple, and
but q little more expensive, consider
ing the first cost, but infinitely less
costly than the old way OF dressing,
when consideration is made for the
time aud waste OF repeated dressings,
and the lessened risk of blood-poison-
ing and death from exhaustion from
prolonged suppuration
The most essential element in anti
septic surgery is cleanliness. The
part to be operated upon, or the
point OF injury adjacent tissue, is first
thoroughly scrubbed with soap and a
fine brush. 1t is then shaved to re-
move hair and dead cutaneous cells,
and afterwards washed with ether,
to remove fat and oily matter. 1t is
then washed with an antlseptic solu-
ton, and the operation is begun. A
small stream OF the solution is played
upon the part at short intervals as
the operation progresses. Every
opening in the tissues Is washed out
with this solution. The parts are
brought together with catgut sutures,
which have been rendered aseptic, and
these sutures are absorbed, conse-
auently there is nothing to come
away. Catgut being an animal
tissue, is capable OF absorption,
and is used for ligaturing YES
sells, sewing up the parts and Tor
drainage. For this purpose several
strands are placed in the deeper part
of wound and drain by capilarity.
After there is no further secretions
these are absorbed. After the super